really pathetic--our Darby and Joan existence to be ruffled like this!
Thank goodness, he's in bed, for to-night, at any rate!" They got out
the chessmen, and played very happily until Norah's bedtime.

"Do you ride, Cecil?" Mr. Linton asked next morning at breakfast.

"Ride? Oh, certainly," Cecil answered. "I suppose you're all very keen
on that sort of thing up here?"

"Well, that's how we earn our living," his uncle remarked. "Norah is my
right-hand man on the run."

"Ah, how nice! Do you find it hard to get labour here?"

"Oh, we get them," said Mr. Linton, his eyes twinkling. "But I prefer
to catch 'em young. We're cutting out cattle for trucking to-day. Would
you care to come out?"

"Delighted," said the nephew, glancing without enthusiasm at his
flannels. "But I didn't dress for riding."

"Oh, we're not absolute sticklers for costume here," Mr. Linton said,
laughing outright. "Wear what you like--in any case, we shan't start for
an hour."

It was more than that before they finally got away. The delay was due
to waiting for the visitor, whose toilet was a lengthy proceeding. When
at length he sauntered out, in blissful ignorance of the fact that he
had been keeping them waiting, no one could have found fault with his
clothes--a riding suit of very English cut, with immensely baggy